COUNCIL bosses crying foul over the planned opening of yet another lap-dancing club have only themselves to blame, a lawyer insisted today.

COUNCIL bosses crying foul over the planned opening of yet another lap-dancing club have only themselves to blame, a lawyer insisted today.

New rules automatically gave the Gas Street venue the go-ahead because no objections were received within 28 days of a notice going up at the site.

The revelation infuriated council licensing committee members who complained they had been snubbed.

But barrister Sarah Clover says councillors cannot moan about being gagged when they did the same thing to residents wanting their say on licensing matters in neighbouring Broad Street.

Last year she represented Berkley Court resident Alan Woodfield, who lived just 230 yards from the Figure of Eight pub but was told his flat was too far away to allow him to protest about its plans for 3am opening.

"Councillors may very well find Mr Woodfield and his neighbours knew about the proposal for the new lap-dancing club, but said nothing because the council had already told them they were not allowed to," she said.

"This case is ironic in the extreme."

Last August, the city council claimed the terms of the Licensing Act 2003 prevented Berkley Court residents having their say about the Figure of Eight's application.

The pub's bid to sell booze from 9am until 3am every day of the week was approved.

But the boot was on the other foot earlier this week when it emerged the lap-dancing club, to be called Havana Florida Cuva, was to open on the site of the former Bobby Brown's nightclub because of the new legal loophole.

Councillors, who have tried to limit the numbers of lap-dancing and strip clubs in the Broad Street area, were furious at the lack of consultation. "It has all been done in secret and without any meaningful consultation at all," complained licensing vice-chairman Coun Bruce Lines.

"I am really angry decisions can be made on sensitive matters like this without us even being informed.

"It appears there is some new legal loophole. It needs plugging as a matter of urgency."